Slide actuator for slide fasteners



May 10, 1966 J. R. CLOUD, SR

SLIDE ACTUATOR FOR SLIDE FASTENERS I NVENTOR.

Filed July 16, 1965 dflMES 2. 6204/0,

BY wrm mf fimam United States Patent 3,249,977 SLIDE ACTUATOR FOR SLIDE FASTENERS James R. Cloud, SL, 450 Forsyth SL, Barnesville, Ga. Filed July 16, 1965, Ser. No. 472,512 6 Claims. (Cl. 24205.15)

This invention relates to the general field of fastening devices generally known as slide or zipper type fasteners and, more specifically, the inventionv pertains to an actuator for the slide fastening devices, the actuator facilitating the operation thereof through areas which are normally inaccessible to the operator.

It is common knowledge, of course, that it is most difficult to releasably close the backs of dresses and similar garments wherein the closing device comprises a slide fastener, for such devices are normally located and are usually movable through a relatively inaccessible intermediate area at the midportion of the back. This is due to the fact that the wearer of the garment encounters great difliculty in manipulating the arms and hands in such a manner as to grasp the slide tab pull and operate the same in order to move the slide member of the fastening device upwardly or downwardly relative to the fastener teeth. Again, and epre-presuming that the wearer of a garment of the type generally described supra, is sufficiently dexterous so as to manage to grasp and pull the slide tab pull upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be, it frequently happens that the fastener stringers or portions of the underlying undergarments become enmeshed in the interlocking teeth of the fastener as they close, this resulting in the jamming of the fastener rendering the same inoperative. To free such jammed actions it sometimes becomes necessary to cut away portions of the stringer or garment, thus damaging the same or, in some instances, damaging the fastener and rendering it useless to perform its normal function.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of this invention to provide an actuator for slide fastening devices which facilitates the operation of the slide fasteners through the above-mentioned inaccessible areas and wherein means are provided for preventing undergarments from becoming enmeshed with the teeth of the fastener as the same are moved to their respective interlocking closed positions.

This invention contemplates, as a still further object thereof, the provision of an actuator for a slide fastener device, the actuator being non-complex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, and which is durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more manifest from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a slide fastener actuator constructed in accordance with this invention and illustrating the use thereof in closing a conventional zipper-type fastening device which extends up the back of a womans dress located substantially at the mid-section of the back of the wearer;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the slide fastener actuator of the present invention and illustrating its use in the opening of the slide fastener shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the slide fastener actuator according to this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal detail cross-sectional view, FIGURE 4 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 44 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a detail cross-sectional view, FIGURE 5 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 55 of FIGURE 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

3,249,977 Patented May 10, 1966 FIGURE 6 is a detail cross-sectional view, FIGURE 6 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 6-6 of FIGURE 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 7 is an end elevational view of the slide fastener actuator.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, reference numeral 10 designates, in general, a slide fastener actuator constructed in accordance with the teachings.

of this invention, the actuator being seen to comprise an elongated substantially solid rectangular main body portion 12 having opposed pairs of elongated laterally-spaced and substantially parallel sides 14, 16 and 18, 20, respectively. The sides 14, 16, 18 and 20 are provided with extensions 14A, 16A, 18A and 20A which converge inwardly to form a substantially pyramidical end 22 at one end of the main body portion 12, the end 22 being provided with an opening 24 which extends transversely through the sides 18, 20 adjacent the apex of the end 22.

The other end 25 of the main body portion 12 extends substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sides 14, 16, 18 and 20, and the end 25 adjacent the side 14 is constructed with an integrally-formed longitudinally-extending elongated substantially rectangular lock plate 26, the lock plate 26 terminating in an inwardly-extending bevel 28 at its free end 30, reference being made specifically to FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawing.

The lock plate 26, intermediate the end 25 of the main body portion 12 and the free end 30,- is for-med'with an elongated substantially rectangular slot 32 that extends transversely therethrough adjacent the bevel 28. The slot 32 has its major axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sides 18, 20 of the main body portion 12 and parallel to the free end 30, and the slot is define-d by the opposed sidewalls 34, 36 and end walls 38, 40. The opposed outer and inner sides 42, 44, respectively, of the lock plate 26 are parallel to one another and to the sides 14, 16, and the planes of the sidewalls 34, 36 are spaced and parallel and are disposed at acute angles relative to the plane of the outer side 42. The lock plate 26 is formed with a substantially U-shaped tab pull guide channel 46 which, at a side thereof, opens into the plane of the inner side 44 of the lock plate 26, and as is seen in FIGURES 4 and 6, the guide channel 46 is in open communication at one of its ends with the slot 32.

The main body portion 12, adjacent the side 16, is

formed with an elongated axially-extending substantially rectangular socket 48 having an inner closed end 49 and an opposed open end opening into the plane of the end 25, the socket 48 serving a function to be described.

Reference numeral 50 denotes an elongated substantially flat hollow rectangular open-ended housing having a pair of elongated laterally-spaced parallel and substantially rectangular sidewalls 52, 54 and a pair of elongated spaced and parallel substantially rectangular end walls 56, 58. Mounted for reciprocation within the housing 50 is an elongated substantially rectangular lock bar having an axially-extending centrally-located slot 62 traversing its width, and being disposed adjacent an end thereof. The slotted end of the lock bar 6i) is received within the housing 50 and a retaining pin 64 having its opposed ends fixedly connected with the sidewalls 52, 54 is passed through the slot 62 to limit the movement of the bar 60 inwardly and outwardly of the housing 50. The housing 50 is fixedly secured within the socket 48 by conventional means, and the lock bar 60 is of such length as to project across the opening 36 in spaced parallel relation relative to the lock plate 26.

Refer-ring now to FIGURES 1 to 5, inclusive, an elongated flexible cord 66 has one of its ends loosely threaded through the opening 24 and is connected to the pyramidical end 22 via the loop 67, the other end of the cord 66 being anchored in an enlarged button 68. The cord 66 is of such length as to permit the button end thereof to pass over the users shoulder when the actuator is engaged with the tab pull of the slide when the latter is disposed in the position shown in FIGURE 1.

The actuator 19 is designed to operate a conventional slide fastener 69 having spaced toothed runs 76 secured to the opposed edges of an opening 72 in a garment, such as a womans dress 74, and slida-bly-embraced by a slide 76. The slide '76 has pivotally-secured thereto one end of a tab pull 78 which maybe of a type that will lock upon its pivotal movement to either of its extreme positions, all in the conventional manner.

To use the actuator 16 to close the fastener 69, reference being made to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the actuator 10 is swung over the shoulder of the wearer by the cord 66 and is suspended therefrom in close proximity to the slide 76 which is usually found adjacent the waist. Thereafter, the user moves one hand to the back of the dress and threads the tab pull 78 upwardly through the slot 32 from the inner side 44 of the lock plate 26 (see FIGURE 4). As the tab pull 78 is being threaded through the slot 32, the runs 70 are manually moved outwardly away from the slip 80, and as the slide 76 moves inwardly toward the runs 70, the upper end 82 thereof engages the lower end of the lock bar 60 to move it upwardly away from its position across the slot 32, the lock bar 60 having previously moved to its maximum outer position relative to the housing under the influence of gravity. As the threading action continues, the lower end of the lock bar slides over the upper end 32 of the slide 69 and falls therebehind to assume its position shown in FIGURE 4. The slide 69 is now substantially in the dotted-line position shown in FIGURE 4, and the operator now draws on the cord 66 causing the tab pull 78 to Wedge against the outer edge of the sidewall 34 and the inner edge of the sidewall 36 to assume the angularly-inclined position relative to the lock plate 26 as shown in this figure. It is important that the tab pull 78 not be pivoted to such an extent as to cause the slide 69 to lock, hence, the wedged position of the pull tab 78 is maintained slightly out-of-normal with respect to the plane of the side 14 and at an acute angle with respect thereto.

As the actuator 10 moves the slide 69 to its closed' position at the upper end of the garment 74, the side 16 1 slides over the undergarment 8t and spaces the lock bar 60 laterally therefrom. This, in turn, raises the runs away from the undergarment 8t) and prevents the enmeshing thereof therewith.

After the closure is completed, the user reaches over the shoulder, raises the lock bar 60, and moves the lock plate 26 away from the tab pull 78 to disengage it therefrom.

To open the dress 74, the actuator 1th is inverted from its position shown in FIGURE 1 to asume its position illustrated in FIGURE 2. Under these circumstances, the look bar 60 descends in the housing 50 to provide free access to the slot 32. The operator then threads the tab pull 78 through the slot 32 from the inner side of the lock plate 26 and then pulls downwardly on the cord 66 causing the tab pull 78 to wedge against the same edges of the sidewalls 32, 34 described above. With the actuator 10 in this described position, it will be noted that the side 14 engages and rides on adjacent portions of the runs 70 and since the lock plate 26 is laterally-spaced from the side 14, the runs 70 will 'be held in spaced relation relative to the undergarment 80 thereby preventing its entanglement with the runs 70. With the tab pull 78 now being in its unlocked position, the downward force exerted on the cord 66 causes the slide 69 to move to its lowermost position, disengaging the runs 70 from one another and opening the garment 74.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator for a slide fastener having a slide and a tab pull pivotally-mounted thereon, said actuator comprising an elongated substantially solid main body portion having a pair of opposed ends, means on one of said ends affording connection with a flexible member, the other end having a generally fiat surface, said main body portion having a longitudinally-extending plate projecting from a first edge of said flattened surface beyond said other end of said main body portion, said plate having a slot extending transversely therethrough intermediate its ends inclined toward said other end to releasably-receive said tab pull therein, said main body portion having a socket extending inwardly from its said other end into said surface adjacent an edge opposite said first edge, and a bar mounted for reciprocation in said socket and being movable outwardly therefrom to extend across said slot in spaced relation relative thereto, said plate and bar being adapted to releasably -embrace said slide therebetween.

2. An actuator for a slide fastener having a slide and a tab pull therefor, said actuator comprising an elongated substantially solid rectangular main body portion having a pair of opposed ends and opposed pairs of substantialiy parallel sides, means on one of said ends affording connection with an elongated flexible cord, the other end having a generally flat surface, said main body portion having a longitudinally-extending substantially rectangular plate projecting from a first edge of said flat surface and beyond said other end thereof, said plate having an elongated slot extending transversely therethrough intermediate its ends and inclined toward 'said other end to releasably-receive said tab pull therethrough,

said main body portion having an axially-extending substantially rectangular socket formed therein extending inwardly from its said other end into said surface adjacent an edge opposite said first edge, an elongated substantially rectangular lock bar mounted for reciprocation within said socket, said lock bar having a portion thereof extendable beyond said other end of said main body portion and being extendable from said socket for movement across said slot in spaced relation relative thereto to cause said slide to be releasably-embr'aced between said plate and said bar, and means limiting the movement of said bar away from said socket.

3. An actuator for a slide fastener having a slide and a tab pull pivotally-mounted thereon, said actuator comprising an elongated substantially hollow solid main body portion having a pair of opposed ends and pairs of opposed longitudinally-extending sides, one of said ends having a generally flat surface disposed perpendicular to the planes of said sides, means on the other end of said main body portion affording connection with one end of an elongated substantially flexible manually-operable pull cord, said main body portion having an elongated sub stantially rectangular lock plate projecting from a first edge of said fiat surface and beyond said one end of said main body portion, said plate having an elongated slot extending transversely therethrough intermediate its ends and inclined toward said other end of said main body portion, said main body portion having an elongated substantially rectangular socket formed therein extending inwardly from its said one end into said surface adjacent an edge opposite said first edge, said socket extending longitudinally of said main body portion, an elongated substantially rectangular lock bar mounted for reciprocation within said socket, said lock bar having a portion thereof extendable beyond said one end of said main body portion to a position juxtaposed with respect to said slot and in laterally-spaced relation relative thereto, and means on said main body portion cooperating with means on said lock bar to limit the movement of said lock bar out of said socket.

4. An actuator for a slide fastener having a slide and a tab pull pivotally-mounted thereon, said actuator comprising an elongated substantially hollow solid rectangular main body portion having a pair of opposed ends and pairs of opposed longitudinally-extending sides, one of said ends having a generally flat surface disposed perpendicular to the planes of said sides, means on the other end of said main body portion alfording connection with one end of an elongated substantially flexible manually-operable pull cord, said main body portion having an elongated substantially rectangular lock plate projecting from a first edge of said flat surface and beyond said one end of said main body portion, said plate having an elongated slot extending transversely therethrough intermediate its ends and inclined toward said other end of said main body portion, said main body portion having an elongated substantially rectangular socket formed therein extending inwardly from its said one end into said surface adjacent an edge opposite said first edge, said socket extending longitudinally of said main body portion, an elongated open-ended substantially hollow rectangular housing having an opposed pair of sidewalls and an opposed pair of end walls, said housing being fixedlysecured within said socket with one of its said ends opening into said flat surface, an elongated substantially rectangular lock bar mounted to freely reciprocate within said housing, said lock bar having an end thereof extendable beyond said one end of said main body portion to pass across said slot in spaced relation relative thereto, and means limiting the extension of said lock bar from said housing.

5. An actuator for a slide fastener as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for limiting the extension of said lock bar includes an elongated longitudinallyextending slot formed in the other end of said lock bar, and a pin extending between said sidewalls of said housing and having its end fixedly-secured thereon, and the other end of said lock bar having an elongated longitudinally-extending slot formed therein receiving said pin, said pin and slot cooperating to limit the movement of said flat surface of said lock bar beyond said one end and pre- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1925 Severson. 10/1964 Lindblad.

FOREIGN PATENTS 8/1962 Great Britain.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ACTUATOR FOR A SLIDE FASTENER HAVING A SLIDE AND A TAB PULL PIVOTALLY-MOUNTED THEREON, SAID ACTUATOR COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY SOLID MAIN BODY ORTION HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED ENDS, MEANS ON ONE OF SAID ENDS AFFORDING CONNECTION WITH A FLEXIBLE MEMBER, THE OTHER END HAVING A GENERALLY FLAT SURFACE, SAID MAIN BODY PORTION HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY-EXTENDING PLATE PROJECTING FROM A FIRST EDGE OF SAID FLATTENED SURFACE BEYOND SAID OTHER END OF SAID MAIN BODY PORTION, SAID PLATE HAVING A SLOT EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THERETHROUGH INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS INCLINED TOWARD SAID OTHER END TO RELEASABLY-RECEIVE SAID TAB PULL THEREIN, SAID MAIN BODY PORTION HAVING A SOCKET EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM ITS SAID OTHER END INTO SAID SURFACE ADJACENT AN EDGE OPPOSITE SAID FIRST EDGE, AND A BAR MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION IN SAID SOCKET AND BEING MOVABLE OUTWARDLY THEREFROM TO EXTEND ACROSS SAID SLOT IN SPACED RELATION RELATIVE THERETO, SAID PLATE AND BAR BEING ADAPTED TO RELEASABLY-EMBRACE SAID SLIDE THEREBETWEEN. 